He ran 2 minutes and 25.92 seconds for the journey, bettering Chagemar’s mark of 2 minutes and 26 seconds set in 1984. Chagemar went on to run second at Flemington to Black Knight.

Handicapper James Bowler raised his weight to 8st 4lb on the strength of the dominant performance and jockey Damien Oliver immediately committed to the mount on Tuesday week.

“When I asked him to go, he kicked. He had them covered a long way out,” Oliver said.

“He gave me a nice piece of work last Saturday morning but I didn’t know what to expect under race conditions.”

Oliver offset a wide barrier draw, pressing forward in the fast-run race and slotting sixth – eight lengths off the tearaway leader L’Avenir.

Oliver stalked the lead group as the field started to bunch three furlongs out and it was evident that Media Puzzle was going to take a power of beating.

Weld said they went into the race with some ideas of how they wanted to ride Media Puzzle but left it to Oliver to decide after the barriers opened.

“Damien is a true, true professional and we left it up to him and he did a masterful job,” Weld said.

“This is a very good horse and he loves the fast ground. He is by a good horse Dad trained called Theatrical and it was a very good performance.

“He handled it all very well, the big crowd and the atmosphere. We are very happy and he will be a very worthy participant in the Melbourne Cup,” he said.

“We also have Vinnie Roe and they are two very nice horses but Vinnie faces an impossible task with the weight he has. He is really up against it and this horse may be the surprise package.”

Weld snr had his son on the phone as the race unfolded and the young man conceded he could not contain his excitement when relaying Media Puzzle’s movements to his father.

“Dad is absolutely thrilled. It is 7.30am at home and he is a very happy man at the moment,” he said.

Meanwhile, Grandera completed his serious work at Sandown this morning in preparation for the Cox Plate on Saturday.

“He did everything we wanted him to. John Phelan said he felt really good...he is spot on,” Godolphin communications and media manager Alan Byrne said.

“He’ll take it easy tomorrow and freshen up Friday but he is up against quality local opposition on Saturday. We have to hope he will be competitive.”

Grandera galloped with Atlantis Prince over five furlongs in 65 seconds, quickening over the last half mile on a track affected by overnight rain. He went past Atlantis Prince at will.